Return to Point
by Sue Pokorny
Summary: Tag to 5.18. The boys were finally back on the same page, but there were still rifts to heal.


_Just a quick tag to the phenomenal episode 5.18, Point of No Return. I was so proud of both boys. Of Sam for finally figuring out what made his big brother tick and to Dean for finally accepting that he doesn't have to do it alone. Both brothers made strides towards becoming who they need to be – for themselves and for each other. Yay Winchesters! This is not beta'd and was written pretty quickly, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes._

**Return to Point**

The closer they got to Singer Salvage, the more Sam noticed the tension level rising inside the stolen truck. Of course, the fact that they'd had to steal a vehicle and drive it halfway across the country to get back to Bobby's was not, in itself, a relaxing situation, but it was a situation they were more than familiar with. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was causing the increasing unease, nor did it take one to understand what was going through his brother's head as they approached the turn-off to Bobby's drive. Sam kept watch on the older man as they rumbled to a stop behind the familiar black Chevy.

Sam waited until Dean had cut the engine before pushing open the passenger door. He had one foot on the ground before he realized there was no movement from the other side of the truck. He twisted in the seat, his eyes taking in the twitch in his brother's jaw as he sat staring straight ahead out the windshield of the truck.

"You okay?"

"Huh?" Dean jumped slightly as if startled. "Uh, yeah. Just thinking."

Sam leaned back against the seat and nodded slowly. "You're worried about what Bobby's gonna say?"

Dean sighed and lowered his head, pursing his lips as he gave Sam a nod. "I was… what I said to him, man…"

"Dean," Sam cut him off, his voice soft yet firm. "It's Bobby. I think he's pretty used to you being an ass by now." When he got the eye roll he'd been hoping for, he continued. "Besides, man, I raised the devil and he wouldn't cut me out. What makes you think he'd let you off any easier?"

Dean snorted a laugh and finally raised his head, his eyes shining with gratitude in the soft light from the trucks dome light. "Yeah. I guess you're right. Besides, I always was his favorite."

Sam returned the laugh. "That's just because you ate his cooking. Come on."

Both brothers stepped out of the truck and slowly made their way toward the front porch of the run down house they'd both come to think of as home. As they stepped inside, Sam called out to the older hunter, smiling tiredly as the wheelchair rolled around the corner of the entry.

"Sam! What the hell –"

Bobby froze as he took in the sight of both Winchester brothers standing tall and safe and _together_ inside his front door. He swallowed hard and Sam couldn't quite hide his grin at the softening of the older man's face as he stared at Dean.

"Damn good to see you, boys."

"You too, Bobby." Dean's voice was rough, but the sentiment was obvious.

"What happened" Bobby asked over his shoulder, wheeling himself into the living room. The older man had clearly never gotten over the fact that he was, in essence, out of the action and his need to know and understand what they'd been through was palpable.

Sam looked to his brother who simply shrugged and followed Bobby. Sam sighed as he brought up the rear, dropping down into an old recliner Bobby had sitting against the wall. "We're really not sure," he admitted.

"Not sure? You were there, weren't you?" Bobby waited for a response, but when none was forthcoming, he prodded again. "Where's Adam? Cas? Hell, did you even find that damn room?"

"Oh, we found it alright," Dean chuckled. "The angels' holding room is inside an abandoned muffler factory in Van Nuys."

"California?"

Dean's brows rose once in acknowledgment.

"You're kidding." Bobby looked from one brother to the other before settling on Dean. "Was it the same room they trapped you in before?"

Dean shrugged. "Looked like it, but who the hell knows."

"And Adam?"

Dean turned to Sam, his eyes clearly telling the younger man to take a swing at this one.

"We're not sure," Sam repeated. "We found him, but it was just a trap to get Dean. Apparently Plan B wasn't much of a plan at all. When Dean said yes, Zachariah summoned Michael and we booked out of there. Adam was right behind us but he got trapped. When we got the door open, everything was gone."

"Gone?"

"It was nothing but an old shack," Dean explained. "No ornate decorations, no marble table, no gold candelabra." He waved a hand. "Just… gone."

"Wait a minute, what do you mean 'when Dean said yes?" bobby's eyes widened as the words finally registered.

"Zachariah used me and Adam against Dean. Dean did the only thing he could to save us."

Bobby looked at the older brother, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the young man. "Are you…"

"An angel condom?" Dean finished for him. "No. I told Zachariah I'd say yes, but…" he shrugged and gave the older man a smug grin that was pure Dean Winchester. "I changed my mind."

Bobby just nodded slowly, simply trying to keep up with the story. "What about Cas?"

Dean sighed. "He cleared out the angels, but I don't know." He shrugged, his eyes unfocused as he contemplated the angel's fate. "He was just gone."

"But," Sam interjected. "On a more pleasant note, Zachariah is off our asses."

Dean gave his brother a crooked grin. "Yeah. I never thought I'd be so gassed to ice an angel."

Bobby took a moment to digest the information before returning his attention to the brothers. "But you two… you're okay?" He seemed to be weighing his words carefully, unsure of how much they were willing to share.

"We're okay, Bobby." Sam answered immediately. He glanced at Dean, a soft smile appearing on his face. "We're good."

Bobby smiled in return, the tense set of his shoulder relaxing at the easy exchange between the two boys.

"But I wouldn't turn down a couple of aspirin," Dean chimed in. He rubbed at his temple directly above the cut that was still swollen and red.

"I'll get it," Sam volunteered, pushing himself up off the chair. "I could use a beer."

As soon as the younger man stepped out of the room, Dean lowered his head, finding something along his knuckle fascinating. Taking a deep breath, he nodded once as if coming to a decision and slowly raised his eyes to find Bobby watching him.

"Bobby, I'm sorry –"

"Yeah, you should be." Bobby cut him off, but there was no anger in his voice. "But I owe you an apology, too." He held up a hand to stop Dean's protest. "I should've trusted you. Sam was right. Even after all the crap you've been through, you were still just trying to do what you thought was right."

"But I was wrong."

"Yeah," Bobby nodded in agreement. "You were. And we should have trusted that when push came to shove you would've figured that out."

Dean wasn't sure how to respond. He wasn't entirely sure his friend's trust was warranted, but right now he'd take what he could get.

Sam returned with the aspirin and three bottles which he distributed to the others before returning to the chair. "So," he said after a few minutes of companionable silence. "what happens now?"

Dean took another pull from his beer, raising one shoulder in a shrug.

"Well, first thing, you two idjits are gonna tell me you didn't leave a stolen car sitting in my front yard."

The Winchesters exchanged a look before Dean turned a grin to the older man. "Okay. We didn't leave a stolen car in your front yard." His grin widened at the familiar look Bobby threw his way. "It's a truck."

The End


End file.
